European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Friday urged a continent-wide effort to advance self-driving cars, saying artificial intelligence could help revive Europe’s struggling automotive industry and improve road safety.
“Self-driving cars are already a reality in the United States and China. The same should be true here in Europe,” von der Leyen said at the Italian Tech Week in Turin, Italy’s automotive hub. She added that an “AI first” approach also meant “safety first.”
Her remarks come as Brussels seeks to reinforce industrial competitiveness while European carmakers face pressure from U.S. and Chinese rivals advancing in autonomous technology. Von der Leyen said she wanted to form a network of European cities to pilot autonomous vehicles, noting that 60 Italian mayors had already shown interest.
“The future of cars – and the cars of the future – must be made in Europe,” she said, pledging EU backing for vehicles “made in Europe, and made for European streets.”
Source: Reuters
